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looking to move to Texas

My husband and I are fed up with NYS and looking to move to Texas to live among (hopeful) like minded people. My question is what should I expect when I begin beekeeping in Eastern Texas. I obviously know the hurdles here in the Northeast but what can I expect in the south? Any help/advice would be appreciated.
Thanks you!
Deb

Re: looking to move to Texas

You can find what you want in the Tyler area. Its not largely covered with National Forests which in east TX are primarily used as pine plantations and not natural vegetation as you would think. Having more hardwoods around means having more for the bees to work in the spring time. There is also a decent amount of open acreage that is used for grazing cattle which during the spring time will have blooms everywhere. Even the hay pastures will have lots of blooms before the first hay cutting. If you are near an area down near the creek bottoms you'll be in an area with fall nectar/pollen sources. The winters are also mild which is why you'll see that there are a few migratory commercial beeks with operations around there. Paris, TX has a Dadant branch there where you can get supplies for your bee operation. Being near Tyler puts you near a decent sized but not too big city where you can get supplies and go for entertainment. You'd only be a couple of hours from Dallas if you want to take a trip to a really big city. The farmer's markets will have plenty of beeks though already selling their honey but the prices hold up well. And, you can own a gun without having to go through a ton of hassle and you can carry it around if you want to. You'll probably end up keeping one in your truck like half the other country folk driving around. Also, check out the east texas beek's association. They have a publication on their website giving new beeks a rough guideline on what to focus on each month of the year.

Originally Posted by dabb

Still exploring, possible Tyler area. Want acreage to farm but first concern is the bees.

Re: looking to move to Texas

Thank you! Will look them up. Not really a big time beek but enough to sell a little and home use. My husband brews beer and uses a lot of what I get from the girls-nothing like a home brew! Really love beekeeping and want to continue it in Texas.

Re: looking to move to Texas

Hopefully we can meet up some day and my info can get me a free home brew beer!

If you are visiting the state and just checking it out then go down around Fredricksburg and on to San Antonio. That's beer country with German origins. Your husband would find it interesting.

Originally Posted by dabb

Thank you! Will look them up. Not really a big time beek but enough to sell a little and home use. My husband brews beer and uses a lot of what I get from the girls-nothing like a home brew! Really love beekeeping and want to continue it in Texas.

Re: looking to move to Texas

You should also consider the area northwest of Houston between Houston and College Station. Beautiful cattle country, lots of moisture, early spring blooms. I buy my queens from BeeWeaver.com in Navasota, TX. Slightly less arid than the Fredericksburg area and fairly close to a couple of big airports: Houston Intercontinental and Austin Bergstrom if you need to go back to NYS for some reason. Land / ranchettes may be a little less expensive than in east Texas.

Re: looking to move to Texas

If you are looking for country that is more open and not so heavily forested then this suggestion is correct. The commercial beek I do business with winters his hives just east of Madisonville (edge of east Texas and just into blackland prairie country). I'm biased towards east TX because that is where I grew up.

Originally Posted by Clarkp

You should also consider the area northwest of Houston between Houston and College Station. Beautiful cattle country, lots of moisture, early spring blooms. I buy my queens from BeeWeaver.com in Navasota, TX. Slightly less arid than the Fredericksburg area and fairly close to a couple of big airports: Houston Intercontinental and Austin Bergstrom if you need to go back to NYS for some reason. Land / ranchettes may be a little less expensive than in east Texas.

Re: looking to move to Texas

Re: looking to move to Texas

Most of East Texas (yes, it is a proper name here) will handle bees just fine. East Texas is pretty much anything east of I-45 and north of the Gulf Coast. Tyler is a really nice small city. Very pretty in the spring with the azaleas blooming. It's also the rose capital of Texas. Most of our flow is Mar-May and late Sept-Nov. Fall is golden rod and aster. You'll get an average of 1-2 days a year of some kind of ice or snow and it will last about 24 hours. The rest of the winter will be between 25 and 85 degrees. It can change rapidly on any given day. Spring will bring rains and thunder storms and the occasional tornado. Tyler is pretty temperate compared to Dallas, wetter, warmer in winter and cooler is summer. Some really good restaurants in Tyler and the area (Country Tavern ribs, Juicy Burgers, muffelettas at Brunos). Land will be cheaper the further you get from Tyler proper. And yes, a ventilated bee suit is a good idea. It gets hot and humid. Welcome to Texas....Gary P. Nunn said it best...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwNLp6lbQRw

Re: looking to move to Texas

I am in the College Station area, correctly in Bryan. Land in Brazos County (next county west from Madisonville/Madison County) is generally 10K an acre or more. It starts to fall off the further you move from here, depending which direction you go. Hot, yes, yes it is, and just wait until August. Bees do well here. I opened my hives this last weekend when it was about 70 degrees and there was brood, lots of it, in all my hives. Spring will be here soon and the honey making will begin.